Creamy White Chicken Chili

 

I can't take credit for this recipe... but it is AMAZING. So full of flavor, creamy, and filling. It is a winter staple in our house now!

1 onion, diced

1 tbsp garlic, minced

2 tbsp lime juice

1 tbsp olive oil

2 lbs chicken, cooked and shredded

4 cups chicken broth (GF if needed)

4 cans great northern white beans, drained and rinsed

3 (4-oz) cans diced green chiles

2 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

8 oz cream cheese, cubed

1 cup heavy cream

In a large stockpot saute the onions and garlic in the olive oil and lime juice over medium high heat. Cook until onions are translucent. Add the cooked chicken, chicken broth, beans, chiles, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, stirring often, then reduce to simmer; simmer uncovered 30-45 min. Turn off heat and add cream cheese. Stir until melted and incorporated completely. Stir in the heavy cream.

Recipe from The Cookie Rookie

Chicken Veggie Soup

This is a different take on chicken noodle soup, made for my client who is gluten free. Great way to have comfort food loaded with veggies!

4 cups chicken broth (GF if needed)

2 lbs chicken breasts, diced into 1-inch pieces

4 stalks celery, diced

3 carrots, diced

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp thyme

1/4 tsp turmeric

3 small zucchini, spiralized (or 1 pkg frozen)

salt and pepper to taste

In a large stockpot bring the broth to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and all all ingredients except the zucchini. Simmer 15-20 minutes until chicken is cooked through, then add the zucchini and simmer another 5 minutes. Season to taste.

Creamy Chicken and Noodles

This was such an easy meal to make but had great flavor. I love meals that remind me of family dinners from growing up! My kids gobbled this up. It would have been delicious served over some mashed potatoes, but we ate it with some bread and butter because it was already so creamy. This is to serve my large family of 6 with some leftovers, so halve it if you need.

12 oz wide egg noodles
8 cups chicken stock
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced
10 oz bag frozen peas and carrots
1 cup cream or milk
1/2 cup water
4 tbsp flour

Place noodles in large pot. Add stock and olive oil; stir. Add peas and carrots. Cover and heat over medium heat until noodles are soft, 10-15 minutes. Add the chicken and stir in cream/milk.

Mix water and flour so there are no lumps. Add gradually to the noodle mixture, stirring constantly. Heat to boiling and simmer for 5 minutes.

(This could also be frozen after it is cooked -- let cool and put into large freezer bag. Freeze flat, then thaw and reheat on stovetop.)

Irish Potato Leek Soup

I've made both potato soup with bacon and cheese, and potato leek soup -- this recipe sort of combines both of those and is delicious! It helps to have an immersion blender, but a regular blender or food processor will definitely work to puree this -- just be sure to let it cool slightly first.

8 tbsp butter (1 stick)
1 onion, diced
3 leeks, halved & sliced
4 cups Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
48 oz chicken broth
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup real bacon pieces
1 cup cheddar cheese

Melt butter in large sauce pan or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add leeks and onions and stir to coat; season with a little salt & pepper. Cook for 5 minutes. Add potatoes; cover and cook another 15 minutes. Stir in broth, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until potatoes are very tender. Remove from heat. Using an immersion blender, puree until smooth. Stir in the bacon and cheese.

To freeze: Allow soup to cool completely. Put in gallon freezer bag and freeze flat. Thaw, then reheat on stovetop until warmed through.


**For gluten free, be sure to have gf chicken broth

Curried Coconut Chicken Soup

I love curries and love soups in the winter. I thought I'd give this one a try and it was delicious! I served it over basmati rice, which really just added rice to the soup. ;) Next time, I might omit some of the chicken broth to make it a creamier soup, but it is delicious as is.

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 tbsp curry powder
4 cups chicken broth
3 stalks lemongrass, crushed**
1 tsp salt
2 lbs diced, cooked chicken
14-oz can coconut milk
2 tbsp creamy peanut butter
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp sriracha
1 tsp brown sugar
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Heat olive oil over med-high heat. Add and saute onions, carrots and pepper until they begin to soften. Add garlic, ginger, and curry powder and cook a minute more until fragrant. Pour in the broth and add salt and lemongrass. Bring to a boil then add to the crockpot with the chicken. Cook for 3-4 hours on low. At the end of cooking time remove the lemongrass, then mix coconut milk, peanut butter, soy sauce, sriracha, and brown sugar in a small bowl and add to the soup. Cook for 15-30 more minutes. Stir in the cilantro just before serving.


To freeze: Cook as directed above, reserve cilantro for serving day.Cool soup and store in freezer bags. Thaw and reheat soup; stir in cilantro leaves.


**This was my first time working with lemongrass so I'll pass on the info I learned. These are long stalks, and inexpensive from my normal grocery store. You'll want to trim off the bulb end and the majority of the stalk, leaving you with only a 4-5" stalk left. Peel off the outer leaves (they come off easily) then crush with a knife or rolling pin, like you would a clove of garlic. Throw in whole like this when making a soup. (You can mince or chop for other dishes).


Just a note: If making gluten free, be sure to get gf soy sauce and chicken broth.

Veggie Wild Rice Soup with Sausage

Oh my goodness... this soup is delicious. It got rave reviews from my entire family!

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
7-8 celery stalks, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
1 lb Italian sausage
1 tsp salt
1.5 tsp paprika
6 cups chicken broth
2 cups cooked wild rice (I had a prepackaged mix of white/wild rice)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tsp basil

In a large stockpot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrot; cook until start to soften. Add sausage and break up while it cooks. Add salt, paprika, and chicken broth. Bring up to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Stir in the wild rice, parsley, pepper, and basil. Simmer for 5 more minutes.


*Be sure to have gf chicken broth if making gluten free

Turkey, Kale, & White Bean Soup

I love to eat soups and stews when the weather turns cold. This one was delicious and so easy to throw together! You could also substitute leftover (shredded) Thanksgiving turkey, or even shredded turkey breast any time of the year.

1 lb ground turkey
1 small onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and halved/quartered
2 cans cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
1 Italian dressing pouch
salt & pepper, to taste
~3 cups kale, chopped
8 cups chicken broth

Combine all the ingredients in the crockpot, crumbling the ground turkey a bit, and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.

To Freeze: Combine all but the chicken broth in a gallon freezer bag, adding the turkey last so it is first to go into the crock pot. Thaw, or mostly thaw, before cooking.

Beef, Mushroom, & Barley Stew

The weather turns cold, I make stew. This one is super hearty, warm, and delicious. The beef was super tender after slow cooking all day in the crock pot. You can also make it vegetarian by leaving out the beef - it would still be super delicious. Easy to throw together, and would be great to freeze as well!

1-1/2 lbs stew beef, cubed
1 onion, diced
1 celery rib, diced
2 carrots, peeled & diced
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
15-oz can diced tomatoes
1 cup uncooked barley
8 cups vegetable stock
salt and pepper, to taste

Put everything into the crock pot and season with salt & pepper. Cook for 8 hours on LOW.

To freeze: Put everything but the stock in a gallon freezer bag. Thaw, or mostly thaw, before cooking.

Lentil Stew with Bacon

This is one of my favorite stew recipes - easy to make, delicious, and freezes well. I got it from The Scramble, a meal-planning service for which I test recipes. I made it for a friend once and he told me that it was so delicious it knocked his socks off!

1 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
3 carrots, thinly sliced
5-6 stalks celery, thinly sliced
8 oz bacon, cut into thin strips
1 bay leaf
1 cup brown or green lentils, rinsed and drained
4 cups water or chicken/veg broth
1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/ tsp pepper (or to taste)
2 tbsp red wine (optional)

In a medium to large stockpot, heat oil over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, bacon, and bay leaf and saute them, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes until the onions are translucent.

Add the lentils and the water/broth and bring it to a low boil. Cover and simmer it, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, until the lentils are tender.

Add the salt, pepper, and wine, and simmer it uncovered for about 5 more minutes. Take out the bay leaf and serve.

(If freezing, let it cool and then put in large freezer bag. Lay flat to freeze.)

Sausage Tortellini Soup

This has become a household favorite! Easy to throw together and freezes wonderfully. We love to eat it with some fresh bread.

2 slices bacon, diced
1 onion, chopped
3/4 lb Italian sausage, browned and drained
2 T fresh basil, minced (or 2 t dried)
1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced (or 1/3 cup dried)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1/4 t black pepper
8 cups beef broth
9-oz package cheese tortellini
2 cups fresh spinach leaves, torn

In a stockpot, saute bacon and onion until cooked/softened. Add cooked sausage, basil, parsley, garlic, cayenne pepper, and black pepper; stir then add beef broth. Bring to a boil and add tortellini. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add spinach and stir to wilt in.

If freezing, let it cool then place in freezer bag; lay flat to freeze. When ready to eat, thaw the soup and reheat on the stove (but do not boil).

Chicken and Dumplings or homemade chicken stock

This is my favorite recipe of the winter! I love making this for dinner. Bonus the kids gobble it up. Because I puree the soup prior to serving, that means my kids are happily consuming all their veggies rather than picking them out. If you stop after simmering and just remove the chicken and veggies you have some delicious homemade chicken stock and can eat the chicken and veggies on their own for a meal as well. This can also be mostly made ahead of time. You can do the recipe, including pureeing the soup and shredding the chicken the day before and just bring it to a simmer and make the dumplings just prior to serving.

Ingredients:
4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
2 carrots, cut into 1 inch chunks
2 stalks of celery, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 large yellow onion, peeled and quartered
6 to 8 cloves of garlic, whole with skin removed
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into large chunks
1 dried bay leaf
2 tablespoons kosher salt (I use less, I think it's too salty, but the original recipe calls for 2)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup all purpose flour (I use Better Batter for gluten free)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk (not skim)

1. Place the chicken, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, squash, bay leaf, salt and pepper in a large stock pot. Pour in just enough water to cover the chicken and vegetables.

2. Cover the pot (with the lid tipped a bit) and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and the mixture is very fragrant.

3.Remove from heat. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Using an immersion blender, blend the vegetables into the liquid. Blend until no large pieces remain. Return pot to the stove top and turn the heat to medium-high. Cover partially and allow the liquid to simmer.

4. In a separate bowl,  blend the flour, baking powder and salt until well combined. Add in the milk in a slow, steady stream, whisking as you go. Continue to whisk until batter is smooth.

5. Remove the cover from the pot and drop in dumpling batter by the spoonful, allowing a little space between each dumpling. The dumplings will swell as they cook. Cover the pot partially and allow dumplings to simmer until they are cooked through, about 10 minutes.

6. While the dumplings are cooking, remove the skin and bones from the chicken and shred. Add the chicken back into the pot. Serve when the dumplings are done cooking.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

This Rachael Ray recipe is FANTASTIC and my whole family gobbled it up!  It is a bit on the spicy side, so cut down on the peppers if you can't handle the spice.  Enjoy :-)

Ingredients

• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 pound chicken tenders
• 1 bay leaf, fresh if available
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
• 4 slices thick, smoky center cut bacon, chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 chipotles in adobo, chopped, plus 2 tablespoons sauce
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed fire roasted tomatoes
• Salt
• 4 cups lightly crushed corn tortilla chips
• 2 cups shredded fresh smoked mozzarella or smoked sharp white Cheddar, 3/4 pound
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• Freshly chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish

Directions

Bring broth to a simmer and add chicken tenders, poach 6 to 7 minutes with a bay leaf.
While chicken poaches, heat extra-virgin olive oil in a medium soup pot or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp then remove with slotted spoon. Drain off excess fat, leaving 2 to 3 tablespoons in the pan. Add onions and garlic to the skillet and cook 5 minutes then stir in chipotles and tomatoes.
Remove chicken from stock, dice and then add to soup. Pass stock through a strainer then add to the soup.
Place a pile of crushed tortilla chips in the bottom of each soup bowl. Cover liberally with smoked cheese then ladle the hot soup down over the top. Serve with lime, raw onions and cilantro at table to finish the soup.

Chicken Noodle Soup

I've wanted to try my hand at making homemade chicken noodle soup for a while. I had a craving for it recently, so I checked in my most reliable cookbook. I was pleasantly surprised to find a quick and easy recipe in my Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book, copyright 1996. It took about half an hour to make, and my entire family gobbled it up. I used chicken tenderloins and browned them in a skillet with a little salt and pepper before cubing them and adding them to the soup. I also added dried thyme and used egg noodles, which really held up well in the leftover soup.

Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped onion (or 2 T onion powder)
2 tsp fresh basil or 1/2 tsp dried basil
2 tsp fresh oregano or 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp pepper
1 bay leaf
1 10-oz package frozen mixed vegetables
1/2 cup medium noodles or other small pasta (I used wide egg noodles)
2 cups cubed cooked chicken or turkey

In a large saucepan combine chicken broth, onion, basil, oregano, thyme, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in vegetables. Bring to boiling.

Stir in uncooked noodles. Return to boiling. Reduce heat. Cover.

Simmer 8 minutes or till noodles are tender but still firm and vegetables are crisp-tender. Discard bay leaf. Stir in chicken or turkey and heat through.

Makes 8 cups (6 main-dish servings)

Cheesy Vegetable Chowder

This cooler weather just gets me in the mood for soup - especially when my husband makes fresh ciabatta bread to go along with it! I love broccoli cheese soup, but this one has a few additions to it. It was delicious, and my kids loved helping me make it (one measured ingredients and one peeled potatoes). It even got a, "Wow, this is good!" comment from my husband at the table.

2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup carrot, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 cups chicken broth/stock
3 russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 tbsp flour
1/2 cup water
2/3 cup milk
2 cups broccoli, chopped
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Melt the butter in a large soup pot. Add onions, carrots, and celery and saute over medium heat until tender. Add garlic and cook 1 or 2 additional minutes. Add chicken broth and potatoes; bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender. Mix flour with water, add, and simmer until soup is slightly thickened. Add milk and broccoli and cook until broccoli is just tender and soup is heated through. Stir in cheese, allow to melt, and serve.

Zuppa Toscana

This recipe is based on a certain restaurant's soup. My husband found the recipe & made it - SO good! Here is my version after I made the soup. It makes a lot, but is great to freeze or just reheat.

1 (16-oz) package smoked sausage (or 1-2 lbs Italian sausage)
5-6 potatoes*, peeled and cut into half-moons
1 cup chopped onion
8 slices bacon, chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic
6 cups kale, washed, dried, and shredded
3 tbsp instant chicken bouillon
9 cups water
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place sausage on a sheet pan and bake for 25 minutes, or until done. Cut links in half lengthwise, half again lengthwise, then dice. Set aside.

Place onions and bacon in a large saucepan with a little olive oil and cook over medium heat until onions are almost clear. Add garlic and cook an additional minute. Add water and bring to a boil. Add instant chicken bouillon and potatoes; simmer 15 minutes. Add the sausage, kale, and cream; simmer 10 minutes. Serve with freshly grated parmesan, if desired.

(*I used red potatoes from our garden to make the soup and it was delicious, but I think russet potatoes would be better. They'd break down a bit more to thicken the soup, which the red potatoes didn't do.)

Minestrone Soup

I love to make soups once the weather turns cold. This one was a bonus, as the crockpot does the cooking for me! My whole family loved this soup - my kids especially liked the little pasta. I liked that the veggies were still a little crisp. You might want to have more broth on hand for the leftovers (there's plenty!). This soup will freeze well too.

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 (28-oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (15-oz) can white (cannellini or navy) beans, drained
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried sage
2 bay leaves
salt and ground black pepper
2 cups cooked ditalini pasta
1 medium zucchini, chopped
2 cups fresh spinach
parmesan cheese (shredded or grated)

In a slow cooker, combine broth, tomatoes, beans, carrots, celery, onion, thyme, sage, bay leaves, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Cover and cook on LOW 6-8 hours or HIGH 3-4 hours.

Thirty minutes before the soup is done cooking, add ditalini, zucchini, and spinach. Cover and cook 30 more minutes. Remove bay leaves and season, to taste, with salt and black pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Tomato Florentine Soup

This recipe came from *my favorite* a Cuisine at Home book. It's not hard and oh, so yummy! I think it's best topped with homemade croutons, but store-bought would work as well :-)

Ingredients:
1/2 c. chopped shallots
2 T. olive oil
1/4 c. chopped garlic
1/4 t. red pepper flakes
1/4 c. dry white wine
2 cans whole tomatoes in juice (28 oz. each)
2 c. chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1/4 c. fresh basil
3 T. sugar
2 t. balsamic vinegar
1 bag (5 oz.) baby spinach, chopped
Crumbled blue cheese

1. Sweat shallots in oil in a large pot over medium heat until soft, about 5 min. Stir in garlic and pepper flakes, and cook 1 minute

2. Deglaze pot with wine, simmer until nearly evaporated, then add tomatoes, broth, and basil. Increase heat to med-high, bring soup to a boil, reduce heat to med-low, and simmer 10 minutes.

3. Puree soup with a handheld blender, or in batches in a food processor, until smooth. Bring soup to a simmer.

4. Stir in sugar and vinegar. Just before serving, stir in spinach and season with salt and pepper.

5. Garnish each serving of soup with croutons and blue cheese.

Quick and Easy Crab Bisque

Crab bisque sounds exquisite, but this recipe takes only a half hour to make and is SO flavorful! Although it's "quick and easy," though, it's not very cheap to make. Pasteurized lump crab meat can be found in the refrigerated section of the grocery close to the fish counter. I got it on sale, but it was still $15. This recipe is FANTASTIC!

Ingredients:
2 c. diced leeks
1 c. diced carrots
1 c. diced celery
2 T. minced garlic
2 T. olive oil
4 T. flour
1/2 c. dry white wine
3 c. heavy cream
3 c. milk
2 bottles clam juice (8 oz. each)
Salt, black pepper, and hot sauce to taste (I used quite a bit of each)
1 1/4 c. pasteurized lump crab meat
Minced fresh chives

Directions:
1. Sweat leeks, carrot, celery, and garlic in oil in a large pot over medium heat until carrot is soft. Add flour and cook for another minute

2. Deglaze pot with wine and simmer until nearly evaporated. Stir in cream, milk, and clam juice. Bring to a boil and season with salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Puree soup in batches using a food processor. Stir in crabmeat and serve. Top with fresh chives.

Yukgae Jang (Spicy Korean Beef Soup)

Ingredients:
1 lb. beef brisket or stew beef
1 onion, chopped
12 green onions
5 c. mung bean sprouts
2 T. garlic, minced
1/4 c. hot pepper flakes (found at the Asian market, different than crushed red pepper flakes)
2 T. Sesame Oil
1 T. Vegetable oil
2 T. Soy sauce
1 T. salt
Ground pepper
2 eggs (beaten)
Mung Bean noodles

Directions:
Boil beef and onions in 10 c. water for 40-50 minutes. Meanwhile, combine hot pepper flakes, sesame oil, vegetable oil, soy sauce, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Pour over garlic, green onions, and sprouts and mix together. Remove beef and cut into small pieces and add the vegetable mixture to the pot. Simmer for 20-30 minutes. Add chopped beef, egg, and mung bean noodles and cook for a few more minutes. (Note: I prefer to cook the noodles separately and add them to the bottom of the bowl)

Chicken Gumbo

I tried out this recipe for chicken gumbo tonight and LOVED it! It uses a large variety of spices, but they're all pretty common-- I had all of them in my spice cabinet. I tweaked some of the spices to make it extra flavorful, and I made a double batch so I would have some freezer meals. Be sure to serve this over rice... it's delicious!

Ingredients:
2 t. olive oil
1 c. chopped onion
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 med. green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 1/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 2 in pieces
1 t. dried thyme
1 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. salt
2 bay leaves
1/2 t. onion powder
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. dry mustard
1/4 t. cayenne (I used 1/8 t. and it was perfect)
1/4 t. fresh ground black pepper
1 10oz pkg. frozen sliced okra
2 links andouille sausage (I used a pkg. of smoked sausage), diced
4 c. reduced sodium chicken broth
2 c. tomato juice
Rice (for serving)

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large pot over med. high heat. Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper and cook until softened.

2. Add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides.

3. Add all the spices and stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute until the spices are fragrant, then add the okra, sausage, broth, and tomato juice and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until cooked through. (I let it simmer for an additional 15 minutes to give the flavors more time to develop.

4. Remove the bay leaves and serve over rice.